Concealed wire structure for an outer garment

ABSTRACT

A bra cup reinforcement wire structure for a woman&#39;&#39;s swim suit or other outer garment. A pair of flanges are formed interior of the garment by stitching together the adjoining body member and respective bra cupfabric edges in outer surface facing relationship. A wire receiving sheath for each cup is sewn to the respective flange, thereby concealing each sheath and stiffener wire from exterior view.

United States Patent 1 1151 3,704,713

Hopper 1 Dec. 5, 1972 [541 CONCEALED WIRE STRUCTURE FOR 2,794,984 6/1957Astor ..l28/476 AN OUTER GARMENT 3,035,584 5/1962 Menkel .,...l28/476[72] Inventor: Lois H. Hopper, 6055 Fulcher Ave., FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS North Hollywood, Calif. 91606 [73] Assignee: Munsingwear,Inc., Minneapolis,

606,345 8/1948 Great Britain .,...l28/476 Minn. Primary Examiner-PatrickD. Lawson [22 Filed: Feb. 1, 1971 mm-Flam Flam [21] App]. No.: 111,302[571 ABSTRACT A bra cup reinforcement wire structure for a woman's [52U.S.Cl ..l28/476 swimsuitorotheroutergarmem-Apairofflangesare [511 Int.Cl ..A41c 1/14 formed interior of the garment y stitching together [58]Field of Search ..128/475, 476 the adjoining member and respective braP- fabric edges in outer surface facing relationship. A [56] ReferencesCited wire receiving sheath for each cup is sewn to the respectiveflange, thereby concealing each sheath and UNITED STATES PATENTSstiffener wire from exterior view.

2,880,732 4/1959 Smith ..l,28/ 476 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures to I30.

PATENTEDUEB 5 I972 370471 3 IN VENTOR L 0/5 H. HOPPER H 1%,. M1 94w 5 1g7' /eA/Es r.

CONCEALED WIRE STRUCTURE FOR AN OUTER GARMENT BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION l. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to aconcealed stiffener wire structure for womens swimwear or outergarments.

2. Description of the Prior Art In womens one-piece swim suits,particularly those in which the back is open almost to the waist, it isdesirable to utilize underwired bra cups to provide positive support inthe bust area. In the past, the bra reinforcement wires have beenenclosed in a fabric sheath attached by two lines of stitching to theseam between the bra cup and garment body panel. As a consequence, theoutline of the sheath is exposed to exterior view. bringing attention tothe presence of the reinforcement wire.

Some limited attempts have been made in the past to conceal brassierecup stiffener wires. For example, garments have been made including afree floating wired unit attached to the bra cup only at the upper wireends. Alternatively, swim suits have been provided with removablereinforcing wires attached at discrete points rather than along theentire lower periphery of each of the bra cups.

The present invention comprises a novel concealed reinforcement wirestructure applicable to womens swim suits or other outer garments,wherein there is little or no conformance of the outer fabric materialto the transverse curvature of the stiffener wire. The structure issimple to fabricate, and results in an attractive garment in which thebra cup reinforcement wires are hidden from exterior view.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention thereis provided a concealed reinforcement wire structure for a womans swimsuit or other outer garment. The structure comprises a pair of flanges,interior of the garment, formed by stitching together in face-to-facerelationship the adjoining fabric edges of each bra cup and the garmentbody panel. A sheath enclosing a bra cup stiffener wire then is sewn toeach interior flange. The thickness of the sheath and flange combine toconceal the sheath enclosed reinforcement wires from exterior view.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a womans outergarment having a concealed bra cup reinforcement wire structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Detailed description of the inventionwill be made with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likenumerals designate like parts in the several figures. These drawings,unless described as diagrammatic or unless otherwise indicated, are toscale.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view showing the front of a woman's swim suitincorporating the inventive concealed reinforcement wire structure, thegarment being shown in position on the body of a wearer.

FIG. 2 is an interior fragmentary elevation view, partly broken away andin section, showing the concealed wire structure of the garment of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the concealed wirestructure as seen generally along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of an alternativeembodiment of the invention. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The following detaileddescription is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying outthe invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense,but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the generalprinciples of the invention since the scope of the invention best isdefined by the appended claims.

Structural and operational characteristics attributed to forms of theinvention first described shall also be attributed to forms laterdescribed unless such characteristics are obviously inapplicable orunless specific exception is made. 7

. Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a swim suit 10 having abody member ll formed generally to fit the upper torso of the wearer,and including a pair of arcuate upwardly opening recesses 12 to whichare attached a pair of bra cups 13. Each cup 13 is provided with agenerally U-shaped reinforcement or stiffener wire 14 concealinglyattached to the garment 10 by a structure 15 in accordance with thepresent invention.

The supporting member of the structure 15 comprises an attaching flange16 located on the inside of garment 10 along the corresponding arcuaterecesses 12. The flange 16 is formed bya line of stitching 17 that sewstogether, in outer surface facing relationship, the contiguous edges ofthe bra cup 13 and the body member 11. In the present instance, twolayers of fabric are used for the bra cup 13, an outer layer 13a,typically of a stretch material and an inner, non-stretchable layer 13b.7

Each reinforcement wire 14 is enclosed in a protective sheath 18 formedby fabric layers stitched in parallel rows 19. At least one of the rowsof stitching 19 also catches the flange 16 to anchor the sheath l8thereto. Since the rows of stitching 19 are located entirely on theflange, and since the flange is formed on the inside of the seam betweenthe cup 13 and the body member 11, the rows of stitching 19 are hiddenfrom exterior view.

The material forming the sheath 18 may be doubled over at 20 (FIG. 3),providing six thicknesses of fabric between wire 14 and'the exterior ofgarment 10. This padding prevents the outside surface of suit 10 fromconforming to the transverse curvature of wire 14 which might reveal itspresence.

In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a somewhat shorter flange16a is defined by a single line of stitching 21. A fabric sheath 18aincludes two rows of stitching 22a, 22b of which only row 22a alsoserves to attach the sheath to flange 16a. Y

Although as illustrated sheaths 18, 18a each comprise a single strip offabric, it may be desirable to form each sheath using a separate innerpadding layer covered by an exterior layer of tricot or another smoothfabric. As indicated in FIG. 2, thick folds 24, 25 of fabric may beprovided across the ends of reinforcement wires 14 to prevent the wiresfrom irritating the wearer.

. 3 4 intending to claim all novel, useful and unobvious body member anda respective bra cup, said features shown or described, I make thefollowing stitching not extending through the exteriorly visiclaims bleportion of said body member;

l. in an outer garment: a stiffener wire surrounding fabric sheath sewnto a. afabric section formed generally to fit the upper 5 each flange,the combined thickness of said sheath torso of the body of the wearer,said fabric'section fab and Sa d flange separating Said Wire from havinga pair of arcuate upwardly opening recesses Said y member to F theexterior Surface in which bracups are adapted to be inset; of Said ymember from Conforming to the b a i f b cups h i arcuate lower edges 7transverse curvature of said stiffener wire;

adapted to conform the edges f said arcuate l0 5. The combination assetforth in claim 4 further recesses; I comprising a generally U-shapedstiffener wire enc. aline of stitching for attaching each bra cup to thed in each Sheath f) Spaced Pf rows of edges f said arcuate recesses eachof Said lines of stitching, at least one of said rows catching saidflange.

stitching defining a flange concealed on the inside In an Quter garment:of the garment the distal edges of Said flanges a. a fabric sectionformed generally to fit the upper being free, said stitching beingconceale from torso of the body of the wearer, said fabric section temalView by Said body member; having a pair of arcuate upwardly openingrecesses d. a wire receiving sheath for each cup, each sheath m whichbra cups are adapted to be Inset;

b. a pair of bra cups. having arcuate lower edges extending along thecorresponding said line of stitching and attached to the corresponding padapted to conform to the edges of said arcuate and fabric sectiononlyat said flange and interiorly reiesses;

c. a line of stitching for attaching each bra cup to the of Said garmenti the said sheath 15 edges of said arcuate recesses, each of said linesof cealed from extenor stitching defining a flange concealed on theinside T cpmbmaton Set forth in f of the garment, the distal edges ofsaid flanges comprising a bra cup reinforcement wire disposed in beingfree along the arcuate recesses; each Sheath d. a wire receiving sheathfor each cup, each sheath 3. The combination as set forth In claim 2wherein extending along the corresponding said line of flange defined byspaced Parallel hues of stitching and attached to the correspondin cup,stitching. and fabric section only at said flange where y the 4. Aconcealed bra cup stiffener wire structure for a i sh h i c n ealfromexterior views womans swimsuit or like outer garment having a body abra P reinforcement wll'e disposed each member and attached bra cups,said structure compris- Sheath, and in f. wherein each sheath comprisesfabric stitched a pair of flanges interior of said garment, eachabng'pafallel s to enclose said wire, at least formed by stitchingtogether in outer surface fac- (me of Said rows catching Said flangeingrelationship the adjacent fabric edges of said

1. In an outer garment: a. a fabric section formed generally to fit theupper torso of the body of the wearer, said fabric section having a pairof arcuate upwardly opening recesses in which bra cups are adapted to beinset; b. a pair of bra cups having arcuate lower edges adapted toconform to the edges of said arcuate recesses; c. a line of stitchingfor attaching each bra cup to the edges of said arcuate recesses, eachof said lines of stitching defining a flange concealed on the inside ofthe garment, the distal edges of said flanges being free, said stitchingbeing concealed from external view by said body member; d. a wirereceiving sheath for each cup, each sheath extending along thecorresponding said line of stitching and attached to the correspondingcup and fabric section only at said flange and interiorly of saidgarment whereby the said sheath is concealed from exterior view.
 2. Thecombination as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a bra cupreinforcement wire disposed in each sheath.
 3. The combination as setforth in claim 2 wherein each flange is defined by spaced parallel linesof stitching.
 4. A concealed bra cup stiffener wire structure for awoman''s swimsuit or like outer garment having a body member andattached bra cups, said structure comprising: a pair of flanges interiorof said garment, each formed by stitching together in outer surfacefacing relationship the adjacent fabric edges of said body member and arespective bra cup, said stitching not extending through the exteriorlyvisible portion of said body member; a stiffener wire surrounding fabricsheath sewn to each flange, the combined thickness of said sheath fabricand said flange separating said wire from said body member to preventthe exterior surface of said body member from conforming to thetransverse curvature of said stiffener wire.
 5. The combination as setforth in claim 4 further comprising a generally U-shaped stiffener wireenclosed in each sheath by spaced parallel rows of stitching, at leastone of said rows catching said flange.
 6. In an outer garment: a. afabric section formed generally to fit the upper torso of the body ofthe wearer, said fabric section having a pair of arcuate upwardlyopening recesses in which bra cups are adapted to be inset; b. a pair ofbra cups having arcuate lower edges adapted to conform to the edges ofsaid arcuate recesses; c. a line of stitching for attaching each bra cupto the edges of said arcuate recesses, each of said lines of stitchingdefining a flange concealed on the inside of the garment, the distaledges of said flanges being free along the arcuate recesses; d. a wirereceiving sheath for each cup, each sheath extending along thecorresponding said line of stitching and attached to the correspondingcup and fabric section only at said flange whereby the said sheath isconcealed from exterior view; e. a bra cup reinforcement wire disposedin each sheath, and f. wherein each sheath comprises fabric stitchedalong parallel rows to enclose said wire, at least one of said rowscatching said flange.